Common Core Standards Resources for the Social Studies

Refresh and Sharpen Your Practice with Free C3 Framework Resources

Through a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, National Council for the Social Studies, in partnership with the National Center for Literacy Education (NCLE), will provide free professional learning, tools, and resources to support 50 teams of middle level and high school teachers from across the nation to utilize the College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standardsto meet the goals of new state literacy standards, which may be referred to as the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, College and Career Readiness Standards, or something else specific to a state or district. Read more

Other Common Core Resources

A California Guide to Align Civic Education and the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science and Technical Subjects

This excellent website provides many links to common core sources, lesson plans, etc.

Other Social Studies Resources

​The U.S. Institute of Peace works to prevent, mitigate, and resolve violent conflict around the world by engaging directly in conflict zones and by providing analysis, education, and resources to those working for peace. Created by Congress in 1984 as an independent, nonpartisan, federally funded organization, USIP’s staff work at the Institute’s DC headquarters and on the ground in the world’s most dangerous regions.

In addition to our work overseas, USIP offers American educators a number of resources to bring global peace-building to life in the classroom, all of which are available for free on our website at www.usip.org/public-education.

Our Peacebuilding Toolkit for Educators is a curriculum guide developed by teachers, for teachers. The two volumes – one for middle school and one for high school – provide lessons that highlight the challenges and importance of global peace-building. The activities focus on practical skills in conflict management, including conflict analysis, negotiation, mediation, and problem-solving. These skills are applied in a range of contexts, encouraging students to think about how they can contribute to peace-building in their own lives and in a global context. Our website contains additional lessons and activities, professional development opportunities, and information on critical international conflicts and issues. We also offer onsite educational program for students and teachers.

Origins: Current Events in Historical Perspectives is a free, on-line magazine that includes articles, podcasts, short “milestones,” and Top Ten lists produced by some of America’s leading historians -- and all connecting the past with the present. Origins covers the globe.

The magazine is designed for use in high school and college classes in American history, world history, current events, and contemporary politics. It is a joint production of the history departments at Ohio State University and Miami University. You and your students can find it at origins.osu.edu.

Resources from Facing HistoryEvery day, reports of incidents of bigotry and hatred across the globe show us how fragile democracy can be. Through rigorous historical analysis combined with the study of human behavior, Facing History’s approach heightens students’ understanding of racism, religious intolerance, and prejudice; increases students’ ability to relate history to their own lives; and promotes greater understanding of their roles and responsibilities in a democracy. ​https://www.facinghistory.org/educator-resources

82% say Supreme Court appointments were important in their presidential vote

71% are following news about President Trump's Nominee

And, regarding C-SPAN's long-term efforts to open the courts to television coverage:

76% say that the U.S. Supreme Court should allow TV coverage of its oral arguments, up 15% since 2009

To see the full survey, results from previous C-SPAN Supreme Court surveys and to watch a video of the current Supreme Court justices giving their opinion on cameras in the court, visit our Supreme Court Survey website.New Lesson Plan on the Supreme Court Confirmation ProcessC-SPAN Classroom Deliberations, a site produced by C-SPAN's Senior Fellows, has been updated with a new lesson to help your students deliberate the following issue: Lesson: What is the Role of the U.S. Senate During the Supreme Court Confirmation Process?An eleven month vacancy to the Supreme Court was suddenly created after the death of Associate Justice Antonin Scalia in February of 2016. Article II of the U.S. Constitution expressly gives the president the power to "nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint... Justices of the Supreme Court." Senate Republicans, led by majority leader Mitch McConnell, blocked President Obama's appointee by refusing to schedule hearings until after the 2016 presidential election.After the inauguration of Donald J. Trump in January of 2017, the newly elected president picked 10th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Neil Gorsuch to fill the vacancy. On March 20, 2017, the Senate judiciary committee began hearings to question Judge Gorsuch on his interpretation of the U.S. Constitution and his judicial record. In the past, hearings have served as opportunities for Senators to question appointees in order to learn how they would rule on significant constitutional issues. However, considering the ambiguity of "advice and consent," some question the exact role of the Senate and purpose of the hearings. This deliberation will explore the confirmation process and what role the Senate plays in appointing a Supreme Court Justice. Given the thin majority Republicans have in the Senate (52-48), the role could be quite influential if the majority invokes the "nuclear" rule allowing Gorsuch to be confirmed with a simple majority vote.What is the role of the U.S. Senate during the Supreme Court confirmation process?Additional Recent Deliberations:

Veterans National Education Program or V-NEP provides free, high quality, educational resources that emphasize the humanistic & cultural aspects of America's military engagements, past & present, and how these events influence the fabric of our global society.

Through our interactive Global Map, subject matter experts explain the cultural issues, history and key geopolitical events that shape the world we live in.

Tune-in to C-SPAN on Sunday, April 30 from 9:00 - 10:00am ET as teachers Dan Larsen and Andrew Conneen from Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Illinois join us for our annual program to help A.P. Government and Politics students around the country prepare for their upcoming exam on Thursday, May 4.Dan and Andrew will discuss the exam, preview sample questions, and make suggestions as to what students should be studying. They will also respond to student questions asked via telephone, email, and social media.Previous Cram for the Exam programs can also be found here:

Free Teaching Kit from The Federal Reserve

The Federal Reserve is often in the news, yet few Americans understand "The Fed's" role in our economy.

I wanted to let you know about a great teaching resource to add to your classroom without cost. You simply order from the link below to provide your mailing address and the kit arrives. That's it. It just takes 30 seconds of your time.

Get a Free Copy of the "What We Do at the Federal Reserve" Teaching Kit 2016 Edition​This kit is a professionally designed lesson plan produced by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. It is suitable for use in high school government, social studies, personal finance and economics classes. ​

Kit Helps Explain Concepts Like Inflation and Monetary Policy

The kit has been designed to give teachers hands-on activities to explain the role of the Fed. The kit's curriculum guide emphasizes key points that teachers can highlight while presenting topics like how prices, inflation and ultimately monetary policy affect our economy.

The kit also includes a short movie and classroom presentation on a CD, plus a bag of Fed Shreds to support conversations around money supply and what happens to old money.

Annenberg Foundation Interactive U.S. History

These are great interactive sites for students to learn and review History and Geography. The Annenberg Foundation has sponsored the creation of several interactive History websites inlcuding: Collapse, Middle Ages, Renaissance, and United States History Map.Collapse (Grades 9-12)Explore the collapse of four ancient civilizations. Learn how archaeologists find and interpret evidence.Middle Ages (Grades 9-12)Discover what it was like to live during the Middle Ages.Renaissance (Grades 9-12)Join us as we explore the Renaissance and discover the forces that drove this rebirth in Europe, and in Italy in particular.United States History Map (Grades 5-8)With a map as your guide, trace the growth and settlement of the United States.Collapse (Grades 9-12)Explore the collapse of four ancient civilizations. Learn how archaeologists find and interpret evidence.Middle Ages (Grades 9-12)Discover what it was like to live during the Middle Ages.Renaissance (Grades 9-12)Join us as we explore the Renaissance and discover the forces that drove this rebirth in Europe, and in Italy in particular.United States History Map (Grades 5-8)With a map as your guide, trace the growth and settlement of the United States.

HEROES ON DECK: World War II on Lake MichiganNarrated by Bill Kurtis, this documentary explores the little-known chapter of WWII history immediately following the attack at Pearl Harbor that took place just off Chicago's shores. With enemy submarines patrolling both east & west coasts, Lake Michigan was chosen as a safe place for the location to train more than 15,000 aviators for eventual carrier based duty in the Pacific, including future president George H. W. Bush. Neophyte pilots and unforgiving weather conditions on the lake contributed to hundreds of accidents. As a result more than 100 WWII aircraft sank to the bottom of Lake Michigan.​​HEROES ON DECK is the story of Chicago during wartime, a bold and innovative training ​plan, ​​brave pilots,​ and the recovery of several historic aircraft. HEROES ON DECK, brings to life a vital episode of American history.​ ​

Electoral Dysfunction DocumentaryWe’re pleased to announce that Electoral Dysfunction is now available at no charge for use in middle school and high school classes. The 36-minute Classroom Edition of the award-winning PBS documentary is accompanied by an extensive curriculum guide.Officially endorsed by The National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS), this video is hosted by Emmy-winning political humorist Mo Rocca, who takes a road trip to explore voting in America. Topics addressed include Constitutional provisions on voting and voting rights; the origins and present-day impact of the Electoral College; voter ID laws; ballot design; inconsistencies among America’s 13,000 voting jurisdictions; and reforms that would make elections fairer and more uniform.» To download the Curriculum Guide, click here.Click here to download it for offline viewing.​

The Institute for Curriculum ServicesThe Institute for Curriculum Services is a national resource center which promotes accurate curricular materials and instruction on Jews, Judaism, and Israel for American K-12 students. ICS improves the education of millions of public and private school students who learn about Jews, Judaism, and Israel in social studies classes each year. Our website, www.icsresources.org, hosts a variety of resources for teachers and engaging curricula for classroom use including detailed lesson plans, classroom activities, primary source documents, and maps.

The Arnold-Liebster Foundation was established by Holocaust-era survivors Max Liebster and Simone Arnold Liebster in January 2002 to educate future generations in the lessons of history.A non-political, non-profit organization, it strives to keep alive the memory of victims of dictatorships and religious persecution. The foundation supports historical research and educational programs for the purpose of promoting peace, tolerance, human rights, and religious freedom.

Part of our mission at the ISBA is to educate the public and students of all ages about the important role of lawyers and judges, the importance of an independent judiciary for the proper administration of justice, and to foster an interest in students to respect our justice system and consider pursuing careers in the law.

Kevin Wood, currently of Oak Park, Illinois, portrays President Abraham Lincoln, one of our nation's most beloved and esteemed historical figures.

As President, Mr. Lincoln ably led our nation through its darkest days, when brother fought against brother, and the fabric of our "more perfect Union" was nearly torn asunder.Mr. Lincoln is available to share his remarkable story in schools, in churches, and at a variety of community events. In addition to providing a firsthand account of his own life and times, Mr. Lincoln's visit will also do much more:

As one who rose from obscurity to the highest office in the land, Mr. Lincoln is an inspiration to us today to likewise dream, and to work hard to achieve those dreams.

As one who persevered in self-study to become a well-educated man, Mr. Lincoln embodies for us the high value of education and a great passion for learning.

As the leader of our nation during our greatest crisis, Mr. Lincoln challenges us to contemplate and to cherish the ideals for which our country stands: liberty and freedom, democracy, equality, and opportunity.

And as one who was known for his honesty, humility, and compassion, Mr. Lincoln provides an enduring example of the importance of a strong moral foundation and positive character development.

Presentations are available either in English or Spanish, in addition to more limited presentations in French or German.

​For more information, or to arrange a visit by Mr. Lincoln, please contact me as follows:

​​Mary Todd Lincoln lived a life filled and tragedies but few people know her story. Now, historical interpreter Laura F. Keyes shares Mrs. Lincoln’s story in educational programs, each one hour long, set in at important moments in throughout her lifetime. These programs can be tailored to suit a variety of ages and interest groups. Keyes’ meticulously researched performances have received wonderful reviews and should not be missed.